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Recommended Reading and Reviews

Summer Reading ideas for Kindergarten through Second Grade

Some may argue with me here and say that all books for primary grades are picture books, so why do they need graphic novels? Fair enough. Books for children ages 5-7 are picture books, but with a difference – picture books usually feature large, 2-page spreads and pictures that take up one page at a time. These books are wonderful, and teach children how to read, count, and learn their colors. They tell enduring stories with beautiful art and simple text. But what a graphic novel does is tell stories sequentially. By reading a graphic novel, even one without words […] Read More

Wake up that Summer Reading list with Graphic Novels!

Today we have a post from Reading With Pictures volunteer Rosemary Kiladitis. She is a longtime comic book reader, bibliophile, newly minted librarian, and mom of 3. She is a youth literacy advocate who loves reader’s advisory and thinks every classroom library deserves a graphic novel section. If you have kids in grade school or high school, you know that with the promise of summer vacation brings the necessity of Summer Reading. Teachers will send home suggested reading lists, which will likely be met with some trepidation—after being told what to read all school year long, can’t a kid just read […] Read More

History in Black and White: Reading Maus in Middle School

MausCover

Today we have a post from Reading With Pictures volunteer Rosemary Kiladitis. She is a longtime comic book reader, bibliophile, newly minted librarian, and mom of 3. She is a youth literacy advocate who loves reader’s advisory and thinks every classroom library deserves a graphic novel section. Two years ago, my son’s Social Studies class discussed the Holocaust; he read Elie Wiesel’s memoir, Night, as part of the lesson. At the time, I was working on my Master’s degree in Library Science and taking a Materials for Young Adults class, and had received several good suggestions from Will to enhance my reading list. It […] Read More

WAR STORIES: Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

By Ellen Ma Staff Writer REVIEW Garth Ennis brings you this series that consists of eight standalone short stories taken place during World War II, with one set in the Spanish Civil War. Although Ennis is the main writer, each story is taken on by a different artist. The unique quality about this series is the different perspectives of each short story, which may be one of the reasons as to why there are so many artists.

FABLES: LEGENDS IN EXILE, VOL. 1

By Catharina Evans Staff Writer STORY REVIEW The premise of this oft-touted series places “exiled” fables in contemporary New York City to live among the “mundanes” (i.e., real people). In FABLES: LEGENDS IN EXILE, characters from a spectrum of universes, both film and literary, mix uneasily together. In this upside-down world, Snow White reigns, Prince Charming comically bumbles around as an obnoxious lady-killer, and the Big Bad Wolf does good as Sheriff.

ED’S TERRESTRIALS

  STORY SYNOPSIS Ed is a dreamer. He loves his comics and make-believe and isn’t really interested in the grown up world. That is, until a space ship full of intergalactic refugee slaves comes crashing down into his tree house. The three aliens quickly set up shop in an effort to teleport their people to Earth, one by one, to save them from their bonds of slavery at the hands of the intergalactic food court. Others have a different idea. Ed’s bullying rich girl, Natalie, and Maximus Obliterus, the greatest of all the mall security from space are coming in […] Read More

THE DREAMLAND CHRONICLES: BOOK 1

By Kevin Hodgson Staff Writer STORY SYNOPSIS What if you lost your sense of adventure? What if you stopped dreaming and your imagination was left to wither away? In THE DREAMLAND CHRONICLES, writer and artist Scott Christian Sava introduces us to a character who must dream in order to enter into and become part of an alternative world. Drawn in computerized 3D imagery with computer graphics, Sava elaborately creates a place of the imagination where creatures both big and small, kind and deadly, are on the loose.

DINOSAURS ACROSS AMERICA

Dinosaurs Across America

REVIEW Geography, like many subjects, can be boring, fraught with the nasty notion that simply memorizing states and capitals constitutes learning. Phil Yeh, while presenting basic information about each state, also gives the reader a look into other aspects of the state, such as human interaction with the place, as well as history about the music, art, or technology that has shaped each state. There is even a little story to go along with the information to help the reader move along. It is a good thing.

CRYPTOZOOEY #1

Crypto Zooey Cover

By Michael Schofield Staff Writer So, CryptoZooey #1 was a hit at Comic-Con – and it was Well. Frigging. Deserved! Charming and funny, there is a little related-something akin to my youth’s sacred WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE that called-up my inner monster-fearer from below my inner dork that made Sarah and Steve Troop’s comic immediately endearing. It’s no stretch of imagination to understand what won over Comic-Conners when it is marketed as “CryptoZooey. A girl. A quest. And the monsters that help her.” Monsters rule.

AMELIA RULES!: Volumes 2-3

Amelia Rules 2

By Chris Wilson Editor-in-Geek STORY SYNOPSIS Amelia’s story continues in these next two volumes in the hit, all-ages series. Reggie leads his band of pint-sized super heroes to battle against the Ninjas across town and the Legion of Steves. Amelia gets caught up in a kiss that would make Shakespeare proud. All the while, the hardships of the real world keep coming and Amelia makes her way through it with the help of those around her.